Transportable pet care center

ABSTRACT

A transportable pet care center includes (1) a canister having a plurality of dispensing sections for providing food, water, medicine, treats, toys, and such like to a pet (2) an electronics dashboard for providing interaction with the pet via localized entertainment and network interaction with the owner, (3) adjustable trays for receiving materials from the dispensing sections, (4) a base tray for providing stability and capturing items that fall from the trays, and (5) and extendable handle with wheel assembly for easy transport.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/367,147, entitled “Transportable Pet Care Center,” filedDec. 1, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,357,019, which claims the benefit ofU.S. Provisional Application No. 62/261,453 entitled “Pet Pro Tech (PetProfessional Technology),” filed Dec. 1, 2015, each of which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

This invention pertains to caring for pets. More particularly, thisinvention pertains to a system for care and monitoring of a pet by aperson locally and or remotely.

One concern that many pet owners have in caring for their caninecompanions is the mental wellbeing of their dogs. Such mental wellbeingif often not given the care it may need. Good mental health for your dogleads to a more enjoyable life, while both the owner and the communityare also saved from behavioral problems such as nuisance barking andother destructive behaviors. A dog's mental state can be improved, forexample, if the dog doesn't think of its owner leaving in the morning asa bad thing. If a dog is prone to become stressed when its owner leaves,it is desirable that such an effect be reduced. Various methods are usedfor reduction of stress to the dog and include distractions such asscatter feeding, toys, treat balls, music and soothing tones to keep thedog busy and having fun while the owner is away. Checking in on the petthroughout the day also has a positive effect on mood and behavior byusing cameras and monitors so that the dog can also see the owner. It isdesirable to have a single pet care system that provides capability forthese and many other features.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a transportablepet care center includes (1) a canister having a plurality of dispensingsections for providing food, water, medicine, treats, toys, and suchlike to a pet (2) an electronics dashboard for providing interactionwith the pet via localized entertainment and network interaction withthe owner, (3) adjustable trays for receiving materials from thedispensing sections, (4) a base tray for providing stability andcapturing items that fall from the trays, and (5) and extendable handlewith wheel assembly for easy transport is provided.

According to another embodiment, a transportable pet care centerstructure for transport and organization of pet essentials includes (1)a cylindrical canister having an upper section and a lower section, andclosed at top and open at bottom, the canister further including, (a) aplurality of dispenser sections within the upper section, each providingcapability for housing pet essentials, (b), a divider between the uppersection and the lower section serving as a floor to the plurality ofdispenser sections, and (c) an opening in the upper section including adoor that provides access to the contents of the upper section, (2) abase tray to form the foundation of the structure, (3) a plurality ofadjustable trays attached to a center column extending along the heightof the structure, and adjustably positionable beneath the opening in theupper section, and (4) an electronic dashboard for receiving informationfrom user electronic devices, providing for rotation of separateelements of the structure, and further providing for positioning ofseparate elements of the structure, whereby the structure provides forinteraction between a pet and events initiated by a remote user.

According to another embodiment, operating a transportable pet carecenter includes (1) receiving a request for a specified action at atransportable pet care application, from a user, (2) determining whetherthe request for the specified action was received from one of a userelectronic device, a remote server, or an electronic dashboard withinthe transportable pet care center, (3) initiating the specified actionat the transportable pet care center, the specified action being atleast one of (a) satisfying a load food request to make food availablefor the pet, (b) initiating a load ball request in preparation to makethe ball available for the pet, (c) initiating a launch ball request topropel the ball for play by the pet, (d) opening an audio communicationchannel for audio interaction with the pet, (e) opening a videocommunication channel for video interaction with the pet, and (f) savinga record depicting current status of relevant predefined pet caremarkers, whereby operation of the transportable pet care center providesfor interaction between a pet and events initiated by the user.

Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the present inventionwill be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examinationof the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended thatall such additional systems, methods, features and advantages beincluded within this description and be within the scope of the presentdisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned features will become more clearly understood fromthe following detailed description read together with the drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a transportable pet care unit in atransportable pet care system;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the dispenser sections of thetransportable pet care unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the electronic dashboard ofthe transportable pet care unit;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the adjustable trays of thetransportable pet care unit;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the base tray of the transportable petcare unit;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the transportable pet care unit in aclosed configuration;

FIG. 7 is a system diagram illustrating various components of anexemplary transportable pet care system; and

FIG. 8 is a computer architecture diagram showing an illustrativecomputer hardware architecture for computing devices described inembodiments presented herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A transportable pet care center within a pet care system to be used inthe care and monitoring of a pet by a person locally and or remotely. Inparticular, a transportable pet care center provides via existingnetworks for feeding, monitoring, entertaining and communicating with apet, whether from the office or from the other side of the world.

One concern that many pet owners have in caring for their caninecompanions is the mental wellbeing of their dogs. Such mental wellbeingif often not given the care it may need. Good mental health for your dogleads to a more enjoyable life, while both the owner and the communityare also saved from behavioral problems such as nuisance barking andother destructive behaviors. A dog's mental state can be improved, forexample, if the dog doesn't think of its owner leaving in the morning asa bad thing. If a dog is prone to become stressed when its owner leaves,it is desirable that such an effect be reduced. Various methods are usedfor reduction of stress to the dog and include distractions such asscatter feeding, toys, treat balls, music and soothing tones to keep thedog busy and having fun while the owner is away. Checking in on the petthroughout the day also has a positive effect on mood and behavior byusing cameras and monitors so that the dog can also see the owner. It isdesirable to have a single pet care system that provides capability forthese and many other features.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of atransportable pet care center 100 of a pet care system 90. Thetransportable pet care center 100 includes a base tray 110, adjustabletrays 120, an electronic dashboard 130, a canister 140 and a handle 160each connected internally via a chute 112 extending vertically towardthe canister 140. In the illustrated embodiment, the transportable petcare center 100 is shown in an extended or open configuration, that is,the transportable pet care center 100 provides for the feeding,monitoring, communicating with and entertainment of a pet. Thetransportable pet care center 100 can be used to transport itemsnecessary for the care of a pet while traveling. Additionally, thetransportable pet care center 100 can be used for the care of a pet athome while the owner is away.

The transportable pet care center 100 is a highly durable, lightweightstructure. As discussed further below, the majority of the parts areconstructed plastic, such as high-impact polystyrene.

FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a canister 140 for a transportablepet care center 100. The canister 140 serves as the housing for thetransportable pet care center 100 in a closed configuration such aswould be used for storage or travel. The canister 140 includes multipledispenser sections 150 that provide storage space for pet-related items,such as medication, food, treats, toys, grooming items and such like.Separating such items provides for a hygienic and safe environment, freefrom contamination and inaccessible to pets and small children. Theillustrated embodiment includes four dispenser sections 150. Of course,the canister 140 may include any number of separate dispenser sections.

The canister 140 includes an upper section and lower section. Thedispenser sections 150 are positioned in the upper section of thecanister 140, when the canister 140 is in an upright position. The lowersection of the canister 140 provides closed covering for the remainderof the transportable pet care center 100, including the electronicdashboard 130, the adjustable trays 120 and the base trays 110. That is,to close the transportable pet care center 100, the canister 140 wouldbe pushed down to cover the lower portions.

The upper section of the canister 140 includes multiple dispensersections 150. The dispenser sections 150 are bounded by a series ofdividers 154 extending outward from a center brace 152 and a floor 146situated beneath the dividers 154. Together the dispenser sections 150are rotatable around the center brace 152. The center brace 152 includesa dispenser slot 156 for dispensing items from a selected dispensersection 150. The upper section of the canister 140 includes a slidingdoor 142 that reveals an opening 144 into the upper section of thecanister 140. The dispenser sections 150 may be rotated to provideaccess via the sliding door 142 to the contents of a particulardispenser section 150.

Of course, in an alternative embodiment, the sliding door 142 isreplaced by a hinged door that opens outward. In such an embodiment,label strips can be applied to the inside of the door for logginginventory. Many materials may be used for such logging, for example adry erase surface provides similar capability.

In some embodiments, the canister 140, the center brace 152, thedividers 154, the sliding door 142 and the floor 146 are each made fromplastic. In one such embodiment, each of the above items is made fromhigh-impact polystyrene. Pure polystyrene is a colorless and hardplastic having limited flexibility. Polystyrene can be cast into moldswith sufficient detail for the respective items of the transportable petcare center 100. Though polystyrene can be transparent it can also bemade to take on color. Of course, the various items of the transportablepet care center 100 are typically colored according to marketconsiderations.

Where necessary, each piece is welded to an adjacent piece alongadjoining edges. For example, each divider 154 is welded along thecorresponding center brace 152.

In one embodiment, each piece is welded to an adjacent piece viaultrasonic welding. Ultrasonic welding is sometimes referred to as sonicwelding. High frequency (15 kHz-40 kHz) low-amplitude vibration createsheat via friction between the adjacent pieces. The energy isconcentrated for maximum weld strength between the interfaces of the twosurfaces. Ultrasonic welding is the fastest heat-sealing technologyavailable and can be used on most plastic materials.

In another embodiment, adjacent pieces are welded via solvent welding.In such an embodiment a solvent is applied to temporarily dissolve thepolymer, typically at room temperature. The polymer chains of the twomaterials are free to move within the liquid and mingle with similarlydissolved polymer chains within the other material. After a sufficienttime, the solvent permeates through the polymer, so that the polymerchains lose their mobility. A solid mass of entangled polymer chainsremains, forming a solvent weld.

Those of skill in the art will readily appreciate that other weldingmethods are also appropriate for joining the adjacent pieces in theformation of the transportable pet care center 100.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of anelectronic dashboard 130 for the transportable pet care center 100. Thetransportable pet care center 100 includes an electronic dashboard 130and a spacer 122. The spacer 122 provides a particular spacing below theelectronic dashboard 130 and above the adjustable trays 120. Thetransportable pet care center 100 provides the following capabilities,including but not limited to USB connectivity, built-in memory,interactive dispenser, camera, Wi-Fi, microphone, speakers and amonitor. Such capabilities are provided for within the electronicdashboard 130 housing. A panel 132 provides access to the variedfunctionalities. In one embodiment the panel 132 is removable to provideaccess to the functionality within the electronic dashboard 130. Inanother embodiment, a panel 132 flips or folds open to provide access tothe functionality within the electronic dashboard 130. The electronicdashboard 130 provides a means of engagement and mental stimulation forthe benefit of the pet, and monitoring capability for the benefit of theowner, particularly in situations where prolonged physical separation isnecessary. For example, if the owner is detained at the office or inunexpected traffic, they can use a smartphone app to speak directly totheir pet at home via the electronic dashboard 130, taking advantage ofthe many capabilities of the transportable pet care center 100 to puttheir pet(s) at ease.

In one embodiment, removing or opening the panel 132 provides access toa touch screen control panel for input/output communications with theelectronic dashboard 130 of the transportable pet care center 100. Sucha control panel provides capability to sync an application with themobile control panel. In one embodiment, the screen is tiltable. In oneembodiment, monitoring of pet appointments, food and water levels, andsuch like is provided. In one embodiment, reminders can be programmedfor such occurrences as medication, walking, birthday, doctorappointment, etc. In one embodiment, timers may also be set forentertainment, treats, playing music on schedule or on command remotely.In one embodiment, positive tones can be set to decibel levels heardonly by the pet. In one embodiment, the camera view and zoom isadjustable. A two-way microphone and camera capability is provided. WiFicapability is provided. Built-in memory provides storage for videos andmemories. A re-chargeable battery provides long-life.

The many features provide several care options for your pet to combatstress and release energy necessary to maintain good physical and mentalhealth. The transportable pet care center 100 provides for improved pethealth through consistent feeding and or medication times,entertainment, soothing tones and or music and visual monitoring andinteraction, such as FaceTime® or Skype®. The transportable pet carecenter 100 provides for improved mental health via playtime andsongs/tones for positive reinforcement when a pet is left alone.

In some embodiments, the electronic dashboard 130 housing, the panel132, and the spacer 122, in addition to some other parts, are each madefrom plastic. As noted previously, each of the above items is made fromhigh-impact polystyrene. Pure polystyrene is a colorless and hardplastic having limited flexibility. Polystyrene can be cast into moldswith sufficient detail for the respective items of the transportable petcare center 100. Though polystyrene can be transparent it can also bemade to take on color. Of course, the various items of the transportablepet care center 100 are typically colored according to marketconsiderations.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of theadjustable trays 120 a, 120 b of the transportable pet care center 100.The adjustable trays 120 a, 120 b are multilevel serving trays that canbe adjusted to accommodate a pet from youth to old age. The adjustabletrays 120 a, 120 b provide the capability for a pet to maintain idealposture during feeding. In the illustrated embodiment, each respectiveadjustable tray 120 a, 120 b is attached on either side to the chute112. Each adjustable tray 120 a, 120 b may be raised or lowered toaccommodate the pet's height. The transportable pet care center 100includes a round opening 116 in the chute 112. This round opening 116provides for the contents of the dispenser section 150 to be lowered tovarious destinations along the height of the chute 112. As notedpreviously, the chute 112 extends upward to the center brace 152. Insome embodiments the chute 112 and the center brace 152 make up onecontinuous piece that extends along the entire height of thetransportable pet care center 100.

The adjustable trays 120 a, 120 b provide for adjusting the height of aserving dish to an optimum height for the pet. Such an adjustmentprovides for ensuring that the pet utilizes good and healthy posturewhile eating.

In some embodiments, the adjustable trays 120 a, 120 b are made fromplastic. As noted previously, each adjustable tray 120 a, 120 b is madefrom high-impact polystyrene. Pure polystyrene is a colorless and hardplastic having limited flexibility. Polystyrene can be cast into moldswith sufficient detail for the respective items of the transportable petcare center 100. Though polystyrene can be transparent it can also bemade to take on color. Of course, the various items of the transportablepet care center 100 are typically colored according to marketconsiderations.

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a base tray110 of the transportable pet care center 100. The base tray 110 providesthe foundation of the transportable pet care center 100. A chute 112extends upward from the middle of the base tray 110 toward the canister140. The base tray 110 has a diameter and mass substantial enough forstability, yet not so cumbersome as to prevent mobility of thetransportable pet care center 100. The base tray 110 also includes atrough 114 extending outward from the lower end of the chute 112 to oneedge of the base tray 110. The trough 114 also includes a launcher 115near the lower end of the chute 112. The launcher 115 providescapability for propelling a ball, other toy or treat a particulardistance into the air. In some embodiments, a sensor (not shown) isutilized to indicate when a ball (or other toy) is in place to belaunched.

In some embodiments, the base tray 110, the chute 112, the trough 114,and the launcher 115, in addition to some other parts, are made fromplastic. As noted previously, each of the above items is made fromhigh-impact polystyrene. Pure polystyrene is a colorless and hardplastic having limited flexibility. Polystyrene can be cast into moldswith sufficient detail for the respective items of the transportable petcare center 100. Though polystyrene can be transparent it can also bemade to take on color. Of course, the various items of the transportablepet care center 100 are typically colored according to marketconsiderations.

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of the transportable pet carecenter 100 in a closed configuration. In its closed configuration, thevisible portions of the transportable pet care center 100 includes thecanister 140, the base tray 110, the sliding door 142, a wheel assembly164, and an extendable handle 160. The base tray 110 includes an edgethat is fitted to the lower portion of the canister 130. The edge can belockable view twisting the base tray 110 or the canister 140 to securethem in the closed configuration and in position respective to eachother. Of course, the canister 140 and the base tray 110 could also besecured in other ways such as grooves, snap-into-position, and suchlike.

The canister 140 extends toward the base tray 110, and in the closedconfiguration covers the base tray 110, the adjustable trays 120 a, 120b, and the electronic dashboard 130. The closed configuration coverageby the canister 140 provides for protection of the adjustable trays 120a, 120 b, the electronics dashboard 130, and the contents within thedispenser sections 150 of the canister 140. When the canister 140 is inthe closed configuration, the transportable pet care center 100 is mucheasier to move or re-position.

A sliding door 142 is visible for securing contents within the canister140. The sliding door 142 can be opened for refilling one or moredispenser sections 150, or for emptying contents into one of theadjustable trays 120 a, 120 b.

An extendable handle 160 extends along one side of the canister 140toward a wheel assembly 164. The handle 160 provides for easy movementof the transportable pet care center 100 without the need for lifting.The wheel assembly 164 includes durable wheels 162 at each end of theassembly 164. With the extendable handle 160 and the wheel assembly 164,the transportable pet care center 100 is as easy to move as a piece ofluggage.

In some embodiments, the canister 140, the sliding door 142, and thebase tray 110, in addition to some other parts, are each made fromplastic. As noted previously, each of the above items is made fromhigh-impact polystyrene. Pure polystyrene is a colorless and hardplastic having limited flexibility. Polystyrene can be cast into moldswith sufficient detail for the respective items of the transportable petcare center 100. Though polystyrene can be transparent it can also bemade to take on color. Of course, the various items of the transportablepet care center 100 are typically colored according to marketconsiderations.

FIG. 7 is a system diagram 800 illustrating various components of anexemplary transportable pet care system 90. The transportable pet caresystem 90 includes a transportable pet care unit 100 as described above,a user electronic device 200, and a remote server 220, allinterconnectable via a network 10, such as a local-area network (“LAN”),a wide-area network (“WAN”), the Internet, or any other networkingtopology known in the art that connects computing devices to each otherand to remote computers.

The transportable pet care unit 100 includes a transportable pet careapplication 210 b, input/output 212, USB 214, speakers 216, and a camera218. The transportable pet care unit 100 includes additionalcapabilities and features that are not shown in FIG. 7, such asinternally available and controlled memory, controlling the interactivedispenser section, Wi-Fi capability, and a microphone.

The transportable pet care application 210 b (“the pet careapplication”) is one of three versions of the pet care application forinterfacing with, programming, and utilizing the transportable pet carecenter 100. In addition to the features noted above, the transportablepet care application 210 b is utilized to rotate the dispenser sections150 and/or the adjustable trays 120 a, 120 b for the removal and/orplacement of contents into one of the adjustable trays 120 a, 120 b. Thetransportable pet care application 210 b also provides capability forpropelling a ball 158 from the launcher 115 (described below) so thatthe pet can retrieve the ball (or other toy). Depending on theavailability of toy balls 158 and/or the training of the pet, endlessamounts of exercise and interactivity with the pet can be managed inthis way.

In one embodiment, the input/output 212 capability is provided by atouch screen available within and accessible from the electronicsdashboard 130. For example, a standard touch screen could fold down frombehind the panel 132, be on the reverse of a panel 132 that folds openor down, or other accessible locations.

In one embodiment, the transportable pet care unit 100 also provides USB214 connectivity for uploading of pictures, sound files, and such thatmay be useful for interacting with the pet. For example various chimesor other sounds can be utilized to signal meal time, play time, ownerinteraction time, rewards, or any other type interaction as desired bythe pet owner.

In one embodiment, the transportable pet care unit 100 also providesspeakers 216 (not shown) so that the pet can hear the various soundfiles described above. In one embodiment, the speakers are part of theinput/output 212 described above.

In one embodiment, the transportable pet care unit 100 also provides acamera 218 for transmitting images of the pet to the owner, or even torecord at intermittent points.

A remote server 220 provides capability for accessing pet care data andoperating the transportable pet care unit 100 remotely. Any of thefeatures described above with relevance to the transportable pet careunit 100 may also be accessed and performed via remote server 220. Ifthe transportable pet care unit 100 is available on a network, then auser may simply log into the remote server 220 and have access to any ofthe functionality described above. The remote server 220 includes itsspecific version of the transportable pet care application 210 c whichprovides the same functionality as that of the transportable pet careunit 100.

Additionally, any data collected from the transportable pet care unit100 may be selectively stored within the pet care data storage 230 unitavailable at the remote server 220. The data stored within the pet caredata storage 230 may accessed via logging into the remote server 220 oralso from a user electronic device 200.

A user electronic device 200 may also be used for interacting with a petvia control and operation of the transportable pet care unit 100remotely. A user electronic device 220 may include such devices as aconventional server computer, workstation, desktop computer, laptop,network appliance, personal digital assistant (“PDA”), electronic bookreader, digital cellular phone, smartphone, or other computing device,and may be utilized to access the transportable pet care center 100 asnoted above.

The user electronic device 200 also includes its specific version of thetransportable pet care application 210 a which provides the samefunctionality as that of the transportable pet care unit 100. If thetransportable pet care unit 100 is available on a network, then a usermay utilize the user electronic device 200 to connect with thetransportable pet care unit 100 and have access to any of thefunctionality described above.

FIG. 8 is a computer architecture diagram showing an exemplary computerarchitecture for a computing device 800 capable of executing thesoftware components described herein. The computer architecture shown inFIG. 8 illustrates a conventional server computer, workstation, desktopcomputer, laptop, network appliance, personal digital assistant (“PDA”),electronic book reader, digital cellular phone, or other computingdevice, and may be utilized to execute any aspects of the softwarecomponents presented herein and/or to interact with or execute thecapabilities of the transportable pet care center 100 of thetransportable pet care system 100. For example, and without limitation,the computer architecture shown in FIG. 8 might be utilized to implementcomputer systems that execute software components for implementing allor part of the functionality provided by the transportable pet caresystem 90, the transportable pet care center 100, various sensors,processing and storage of pet care data 230 and various external devicesfor storage of data, managing and/or monitoring pet care.

The computer 800 includes a baseboard, or “motherboard,” which is aprinted circuit board to which a multitude of components or devices maybe connected by way of a system bus or other electrical communicationpaths. In one illustrative embodiment, one or more central processingunits (“CPUs”) 802 operate in conjunction with a chipset 808. The CPUs802 are standard programmable processors that perform arithmetic andlogical operations necessary for the operation of the computer 800.

The CPUs 802 perform the necessary operations by transitioning from onediscrete, physical state to the next through the manipulation ofswitching elements that differentiate between and change these states.Switching elements may generally include electronic circuits thatmaintain one of two binary states, such as flip-flops, and electroniccircuits that provide an output state based on the logical combinationof the states of one or more other switching elements, such as logicgates. These basic switching elements may be combined to create morecomplex logic circuits, including registers, adders-subtractors,arithmetic logic units, floating-point units, and the like.

The chipset 808 provides an interface between the CPUs 802 and othercomponents and devices on the baseboard. For instance, the chipset 808may provide an interface to a random access memory (“RAM”) 804, used asthe main memory in the computer 800. The chipset 808 may further providean interface to a computer-readable storage medium such as a read-onlymemory (“ROM”) 806 or non-volatile RAM (“NVRAM”) for storing basicroutines that help to startup the computer 800 and to transferinformation between the various components and devices. The ROM 806 orNVRAM may also store other software components necessary for theoperation of the computer 800 in accordance with the embodimentsdescribed herein.

According to various embodiments, the computer 800 may operate in anetworked environment using logical connections to remote computingdevices and computer systems through the network 10, such as alocal-area network (“LAN”), a wide-area network (“WAN”), the Internet,or any other networking topology known in the art that connects thecomputer 800 to remote computers. The chipset 808 includes functionalityfor providing network connectivity through a network interfacecontroller (“NIC”) 810, such as a gigabit Ethernet adapter. The NIC 810is capable of connecting the computer 800 to other computing devicesover the network 10. It should be appreciated that any number of NICs810 may be present in the computer 800, connecting the computer 800 tovarious types of networks and remote computer systems.

The computer 800 may be connected to a mass storage device 812 thatprovides non-volatile storage for the computer 800. The mass storagedevice 812 may store system programs, application programs, otherprogram modules, and data, which are described in greater detail herein.The mass storage device 812 may be connected to the computer 800 througha storage controller 814 connected to the chipset 808. The mass storagedevice 814 may consist of one or more physical storage units. Thestorage controller 814 may interface with the physical storage unitsthrough a serial attached SCSI (“SAS”) interface, a serial advancedtechnology attachment (“SATA”) interface, a fiber channel (“FC”)interface, or other standard interface for physically connecting andtransferring data between computers and physical storage devices.

The computer 800 may store data on the mass storage device 814 bytransforming the physical state of the physical storage units to reflectthe information being stored. The specific transformation of physicalstate may depend on various factors, in different implementations ofthis description. Examples of such factors may include, but are notlimited to, the technology used to implement the physical storage units,whether the mass storage device 812 is characterized as primary orsecondary storage, and the like. For example, the computer 800 may storeinformation to the mass storage device 812 by issuing instructionsthrough the storage controller 814 to alter the magnetic characteristicsof a particular location within a magnetic disk drive unit, thereflective or refractive characteristics of a particular location in anoptical storage unit, or the electrical characteristics of a particularcapacitor, transistor, or other discrete component in a solid-statestorage unit. Other transformations of physical media are possiblewithout departing from the scope and spirit of the present description,with the foregoing examples provided only to facilitate thisdescription. The computer 800 may further read information from the massstorage device 812 by detecting the physical states or characteristicsof one or more particular locations within the physical storage units.

In addition to the mass storage device 812 described above, the computer800 may have access to other computer-readable storage media to storeand retrieve information, such as program modules, data structures, orother data. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatcomputer-readable storage media can be any available non-transitorymedia that may be accessed by the computer 800. By way of example, andnot limitation, computer-readable storage media may include volatile andnon-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in anymethod or technology. Computer-readable storage media includes RAM, ROM,erasable programmable ROM (“EPROM”), electrically-erasable programmableROM (“EEPROM”), flash memory or other solid-state memory technology,compact disc ROM (“CD-ROM”), digital versatile disk (“DVD”), highdefinition DVD (“HD-DVD”), BLU-RAY, or other optical storage, magneticcassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magneticstorage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store thedesired information in a non-transitory fashion.

The mass storage device 812 may store an operating system 816 utilizedto control the operation of the computer 800. According to oneembodiment, the operating system comprises the LINUX operating system.According to another embodiment, the operating system comprises theWINDOWS® SERVER operating system from MICROSOFT Corporation of Redmond,Wash. According to further embodiments, the operating system maycomprise the UNIX or SOLARIS operating systems. It should be appreciatedthat other operating systems may also be utilized. The mass storagedevice 812 may store other system or application programs and datautilized by the computer 800, such as the transportable pet care system90, the transportable pet care center 100, processing and storage of petcare data 230 and various external devices for storage of data, managingand/or monitoring tampering and/or security, each of which was describedabove in regard to FIGS. 1-7.

In one embodiment, the mass storage device 814 or othercomputer-readable storage media may be encoded with computer-executableinstructions that, when loaded into the computer 800, may transform thecomputer from a general-purpose computing system into a special-purposecomputer capable of implementing the embodiments described herein. Thesecomputer-executable instructions transform the computer 800 byspecifying how the CPUs 802 transition between states, as describedabove. According to one embodiment, the computer 800 may have access tocomputer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructionsthat, when executed by the computer, perform various routines asdescribed above with regard to FIG. 8, for example.

The computer 800 might also include an input/output controller 816 forreceiving and processing input from a number of input devices, such as akeyboard, a mouse, a touchpad, a touch screen, an electronic stylus, orother type of input device. Similarly, the input/output controller 816may provide output to a display, such as a computer monitor, aflat-panel display, a digital projector, a printer, a plotter, or othertype of output device. It will be appreciated that the computer 800 maynot include all of the components shown in FIG. 8, may include othercomponents that are not explicitly shown in FIG. 8, or may utilize anarchitecture completely different than that shown in FIG. 8.

Based on the foregoing, it should be appreciated that various conceptsand technologies for providing transportable pet care center 100 and fora comprehensive transportable pet care system 90 for providing remotecare, feeding, and entertainment for a pet, have been presented herein.Although some of the subject matter presented herein has been describedin language specific to computer structural features, methodologicalacts, and computer readable media, it is to be understood that theinvention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited tothe specific features, acts, or media described herein. Rather, thespecific features, acts, and mediums are disclosed as example forms ofimplementing the claims.

Accordingly, the present invention may be realized in hardware,software, or a combination thereof. The present invention may berealized in a centralized fashion in at least one computer system or ina distributed fashion where different elements are spread across severalinterconnected computer systems. Any kind of computer system or otherapparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein issuited. A typical combination of hardware and software may be ageneral-purpose computer system with a computer program that, when beingloaded and executed, controls the computer system such that it carriesout the methods described herein.

The present invention may also be embedded in a computer programproduct, which comprises all the features enabling the implementation ofthe methods described herein, and which when loaded in a computer systemis able to carry out these methods. Computer program in the presentcontext may mean, for example, any expression, in any language, code ornotation, of a set of instructions intended to cause a system having aninformation processing capability to perform a particular functioneither directly or after either or both of the following: a) conversionto another language, code or notation; b) reproduction in a differentmaterial form. However, other meanings of computer program within theunderstanding of those skilled in the art are also contemplated by thepresent invention.

From the foregoing description, it will be recognized by those skilledin the art that various concepts and technologies for providing atransportable pet care center 100 and toward a comprehensivetransportable pet care system 90 for providing remote care, feeding, andentertainment for a pet, has been provided.

While the present invention has been described with reference to certainembodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatvarious changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention. In addition, manymodifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material tothe teachings of the present invention without departing from its scope.Therefore, it is intended that the present invention not be limited tothe particular embodiments disclosed, but that the present inventionwill include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for operating a transportable pet carecenter, the method comprising: receiving a request for a specifiedaction at a transportable pet care application, from a user, wherein thetransportable pet care center includes: a cylindrical canister having anupper section and a lower section, the canister being closed at top andbeing open at bottom, the canister further including: a plurality ofdispenser sections within the upper section, each dispenser sectionproviding capability for housing pet essentials; a plurality ofdividers, each divider providing separation between respective dispensersections of the upper section; a floor beneath the plurality ofdividers, the floor separating the upper section and the lower section,the floor further providing a base to each dispenser section; and anopening in the upper section, the opening including a door that providesaccess to the contents of the upper section; a base tray to form thefoundation of the center; a plurality of adjustable trays attached to acenter column extending along the height of the center, the adjustabletrays being adjustably positionable beneath the opening in the uppersection; and an electronic dashboard for receiving information from theuser, the electronic dashboard providing for rotation of dispensersections of the center, and further providing for positioning ofdispenser sections of the center; determining whether the request forthe specified action was received from one of the following: a userelectronic device; a remote server; and an electronic dashboard withinthe transportable pet care center; initiating the specified action atthe transportable pet care center, the specified action being at leastone of: satisfying a load food request to make food available for thepet; initiating a load ball request in preparation to make the ballavailable for the pet; initiating a launch ball request to propel theball for play by the pet; opening an audio communication channel foraudio interaction with the pet; opening a video communication channelfor video interaction with the pet; and saving a record depictingcurrent status of relevant predefined pet care markers, wherebyoperation of the transportable pet care center provides for interactionbetween a pet and events initiated by the user.
 2. The method of claim1, satisfying the load food request further comprising: rotating thecanister via command of the electronic dashboard to a prescribedposition so that a specified food item within a dispenser section of thecanister is accessible at the opening of the upper section; positioning,via the electronic dashboard, an adjustable tray beneath the opening inthe upper section; and initiating an action to cause the specified fooditem to be emptied from the dispenser section of the canister and intothe adjustable tray.
 3. The method of claim 1, satisfying the load ballrequest further comprising: rotating the canister via command of theelectronic dashboard to a prescribed position so that a dispensersection of the canister having toy balls is accessible at a roundopening within a chute in the upper section; positioning, via theelectronic dashboard, a toy ball within the round opening; andinitiating an action to cause the toy ball to descend the chute to thebase tray.
 4. The method of claim 1, satisfying the launch ball requestfurther comprising initiating an action to cause a launcher to propelthe toy ball up and away from the center.
 5. The method of claim 1,opening an audio communication channel further comprising opening amicrophone line and opening a speaker line for communication between thepet and the user.
 6. The method of claim 1, opening a video channelfurther comprising opening a camera, opening a microphone line, andopening a speaker line for audio and video communication between the petand the user.
 7. The method of claim 1, saving a record depictingcurrent status further comprising storing measurements of predefinedmarkers within a memory unit, wherein the memory unit is located withinone of the following: the user electronic device; the remote server; theelectronic dashboard within the transportable pet care center; and alocation remotely accessible to the user.